Legault wants “waiting zones” for asylum seekers like in France

Photo: Jacques Boissinot The Canadian Press Quebec Premier François Legault

Michel Saba – The Canadian Press in Paris

Published at 12:01

• Quebec

While visiting France, Quebec Premier François Legault confirmed that his government has asked Ottawa to establish “waiting zones” for asylum seekers, as is done in France.

“A waiting area, yes, could be at the airport. There could also be, and it exists in part in France, where immigrants are redirected to other places. What we asked Ottawa was: 'So take inspiration, among others, from France,'” he declared Tuesday in Paris during a press scrum at the start of his visit.

These areas could be near an airport, but why not, Mr. Legault suggests, elsewhere in the country.

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“What we are asking the federal government is to better distribute asylum seekers, because currently there are 45% of the Canadian total in Quebec, while Quebec represents 22% of the Canadian population. So, can we think about having waiting areas that are in other provinces? he said.

In France, a foreigner arriving by boat, train or plane can be placed in a waiting area at the border if they are seeking asylum, if they are refused entry or if they are refused boarding to the country of final destination.

Last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vigorously criticized Mr. Legault on the subject of immigration, accusing him outright of spreading falsehoods and of delaying presenting a plan to Ottawa. And he did so, moreover, in front of French President Emmanuel Macron.

Reacting for the first time, Premier Legault defended himself from not taking action, revealing in passing that it is this week that he intends to table a bill aimed at establishing a maximum number of foreign students that Quebec will welcome. There are currently 120,000 of them.

As for the impact this will have on schools, Mr. Legault said the analysis is still ongoing, and specified that the maximums per school have not yet been determined.

“So, we act on the part that we control, but Mr. Trudeau, for the moment, we are forced to say: we are still at the same number,” he said.

Mr. Legault reiterated that Quebec only has control over 180,000 of the 600,000 temporary immigrants the province receives. This proportion is made up of approximately 60,000 economic immigrants and 120,000 foreign students.

However, Prime Minister Trudeau insisted, Ottawa has taken many actions to reduce temporary immigration to the country, including reimposing visas for Mexican travelers and adding criteria for admitting temporary workers in order to reduce their numbers.

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